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SPN 20.x, Jigs: Keeping boards square while building stuff
If you've read very much about [The_Cube], one thing you know by now is that I use jigs, which are usually small and fairly simple assemblies intended to enable getting better results. Indeed, some assembly steps might be a practical impossiblity without jigs.
One thing that happens over and over when building small assemblies made from wood is that you will want to attach two boards (generally 2x4s) together, and have them end up perpendicular— square— to one another. An example is the sump framework, or the internal framework for one of the panels, such as is shown to the right, or the top square.
In some instances you can use another board to assist in holding things in proper position, such as in making the base, where one of the 2x12 cross-brace boards can be used to hold the two long 2x12 boards parallel.
One thing that we've tried which is simple and which helps in keeping two boards in place while we screw them together— although no doubt there are many ideas out there, some perhaps better— is to use a strong, cheap, steel shelf bracket of a size appropriate to hold together the two boards you are dealing with.
Before you buy such a bracket— or at the least, before you use it— make sure it’s actually square. Perhaps surprisingly, many of the cheap ones aren’t.
So this is what you really want...
Then with a properly square shelf bracket and at least two hand clamps, you can hold the boards together while you (optionally drill and) screw them together.
